Zurich: From Muntari's landmark goal to Hwang Heechan's late winner, take a look back at seven of the most memorable moments of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Al-Dawsari stuns Argentina
While La Albiceleste went on to lift the FIFA World Cup, they hit an early stumbling block which sent shockwaves throughout the competition.
Despite taking an early lead against Saudi Arabia, they failed to grab a second and Herve Renard’s men seized the initiative after the break, drawing level just three minutes into the second half.
The game was then turned on its head as Salem Al-Dawsari controlled, shimmied, and fired home an emphatic winner from just inside the area to earn the Arab nation a famous victory, and one which awoke Lionel Scaloni’s World Cup winning beast.
Muntari nets Qatar’s first World Cup goal
The World Cup was a tournament full of landmarks and milestones both on and off the field for the hosts and other competitors alike. But one of the most significant came in Qatar’s second Group A match against Senegal, as Felix Sanchez found his side two goals down but knocking on the door in search of a maiden World Cup strike.
It came in the 78th minute, as Abdelkarim Hassan hit a raking switch of play to Isameel Mohammad, who controlled superbly and swung in a pinpoint centre for Mohammed Muntari to power home a terrific header. It wasn’t just Qatar’s first-ever World Cup goal, but a truly brilliant one too.
Déjà vu delight for Japan
On match day one of Group E, Japan mounted a second half comeback against Germany where Hajime Moriyasu's side recovered from being a goal down by hitting a quick-fire double to sink their star-studded opponents, before doing exactly the same to Spain.
Ritsu Doan’s 48th minute equaliser was due reward for a side which failed to buckle following Alvaro Morata’s early header, before Kirou Mitoma saved a ball which seemed destined to go out of play and hooked it back across for Ao Tanaka to bundle home an unlikely winner. There were just three minutes between the goals that sealed Japan’s place at the top of Group E, and resigned Germany to a group stage exit.
Hwang heroics spark Korean delight
Twenty-five minutes into Korea Republic’s final group stage game against Portugal, Paulo Bento’s men were a goal down, sat bottom of Group H and in need of a spark to ignite their faltering World Cup flame. Their fightback began when Kim Younggwon stabbed the ball home just before the half hour mark, but Uruguay's 2-0 lead over Ghana posed more problems for the Asian side.
Korea needed to score again and hope Uruguay didn’t do the same, to keep the prospective goal difference level. With Ghana holding their side of the bargain, Son Heungmin slid through Hwang Heechan to score a dramatic added-time winner.
Uruguay failed to find another, and as the Korean players watched from their phones on the pitch, qualification was secured. Despite not leading a game for a single minute of regulation time, Korea Republic defied all the odds to qualify by the slimmest of margins.
Weghorst’s well-worked leveller
When Wout Weghorst entered the Netherlands’ quarter-final clash with Argentina, Louis van Gaal’s men were staring down the barrel of World Cup elimination and in need of some inspiration to mount a fightback from 2-0 down.
The big frontman halved the deficit with a well-taken header, before hatching a plan which nobody saw coming, as the game ticked into its 100th minute.
Teun Koopmeiners stepped up to take a free-kick from just outside the area and deceived everybody by sliding the ball into Weghorst, who swivelled and swept home the most dramatic of equalisers, sparking wild celebrations and forcing the game into extra-time.
Morocco become first African side to reach the semi-finals
Prior to Qatar 2022, no African side had ever advanced beyond the quarter-final stage of the World Cup. Morocco arrived to rip up the record books, topping Group F unbeaten before shocking Spain in the Round of 16.
The dream continued against Portugal as Youssef En-Nesyri's 42nd-minute header gave the Atlas Lions a lead they wouldn't surrender, sending Morocco through to a historic semi-final clash with France.
Les Bleus may have edged past Walid Regragui's men that evening, but Morocco proudly took their place as the best performing African nation ever at a World Cup Finals.
Messi and Mbappe trade blows in epic Final
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both enjoyed a terrific World Cup and headed into the showpiece match neck-and-neck for the adidas Golden Boot, but only one could come out on top. Messi landed the first blow as he lashed home a 23rd minute penalty before helping set up Angel Di Maria's second shortly before half-time.
Not to be outshone, Mbappe despatched his own penalty with ten minutes to go to give Les Bleus hope. Just sixty seconds later, he brought the game level with a well-taken volley to send the game into extra-time.
Messi then appeared to have won it when he prodded home a loose ball in the 108th minute, but Mbappe picked himself up off the canvas to tuck home another penalty. The pair then converted their respective spot-kicks but two France misses helped Argentina to a first World Cup trophy since 1986, as this most pulsating of finals resulted in South American victory.
Source: FIFA.com
